GOURMET AND GRAPES PROMOTION FESTIVAL FOCUS TOAST TO SPOLETO TOAST OF SPOLETO Charleston, South Carolina June 7 Memphis is considered a bastion of the The end of spring in Charleston marks the beginning of Spoleto Festival. The two- and-a-half-week immersive arts experience brings performers, musicians, and artists from around the world to the Lowcountry. In 1977, Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Gian Carlo Menotti chose Charleston to be SOUTHERN the American counterpart to Spoleto, Italy’s TALES OF THE COCKTAIL GRACE DINNER Festival of Two Worlds due to its “historic, intimate, and cosmopolitan” characteristics. SLOSS FEST Since then, the festival has attracted visitors Watch competition team Aporkalypse Now will be live musical acts throughout the festi- from near and far looking for a stateside defend their Barbecue Battle title as teams from val, with performances from the Plain White dose of global culture. SOUTH WALTON around the country compete for the festival’s T’s, Back Yard Band, and jazz artist Marcus BEACHES WINE & FOOD This year, join the Local Palate as it $3,000 grand prize. Mingle with barbecue ce- Johnson. celebrates the parallels between Southern lebrities Myron Mixon, Tuffy Stone, and Moe bbqindc.com charm and Italian culture at Toast to Spo- Cason from Destination America’s BBQ Pit leto. Guests will taste Southern takes on Masters while they vie for first place in one of TALES OF THE COCKTAIL Italian classics, savor Umbrian wines, and the seven competitions, which include the Na- New Orleans, Louisiana mingle with the cast of Pia de' Tolomei, a tional Pork Board’s National Pork Champion- July 17-22 tragic opera on the Spoleto performance ship, the Perdue Sizzlin’ Chicken Contest, the Each year, the bartending world ventures to the slate. Set in a historic home in downtown Smithfield BBQ Rib Contest, and America’s Crescent City for one of the most acclaimed Charleston, the tasting event is modeled on Best BBQ Sauce Contest. The competition is a cocktail conferences in the country. Tales of the an Italian meal with charcuterie and anti- Kansas City Barbecue Society sanctioned event, Cocktail is a five-day networking, training, tast- pasti from Patty Floersheimer and Trudi so expect some high stakes and professional bar- ing, and educational experience where attendees SOUTHERN Wagner of goat.sheep.cow; wood-fired NATIONAL CAPITAL becue action. discuss trends in the spirits world and converse GRACE DINNER TOAST TO SPOELTO pizza from Evan Romano of Dough Boyz BARBEUE BATTLE After working up an appetite watching the with industry veterans to develop new ideas Pizza; regional Italian dishes from Jacques competition, check out some of the bites avail- for their craft. While the event primarily Larson of Wild Olive and the Obstinate the “Pittsburgh of the South.” Colonel James Withers Sloss, founder of the Sloss Furnace Company, was able to sample; head to the tasting pavilion for focuses on members of the hospitality indus- SOUTHERN GRACE DINNERS Daughter, as well as Ken Vedrinski of Trat- a key figure in Alabama’s rapid industrial boom, which resulted in a “magical” population influx––hence barbecue chicken, pork, ribs, and brisket. If you try, it’s also open to the general public, so Orange Beach, Alabama toria Lucca and Coda del Pesce; and gelato the nickname. The Sloss Music and Arts Festival strives to honor the city’s legacy by hosting the two- still can’t get enough of watching barbecue pros novice cocktail aficionados are in for a treat. June 21, June 28, July 12, and July 26 from Kelly Chu of Cirsea Ice Cream. A por- day experience at the Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark, and providing opportunities to learn do their thing, catch the cooking demonstra- This year’s festival also plans to honor New Whether you’re vacationing on the Gulf Coast tion of the proceeds from the evening will about the iron-casting process, the city’s food and beverage offerings, and the state’s natural resources. tions at the Fast, Fresh, and Easy Stage. There Orleans’ tricentennial. or an Alabama native, be sure catch one of the benefit Spoleto Festival USA. The festival boasts an impressive lineup with chart-topping leaders in the music industry from a vari- In years past, Tales of the Cocktail has Southern Grace Dinners at Fisher’s at Orange Attendees will also have the option of ety of genres. Catch indie favorites Moon Taxi and Arcade Fire, pop/electronic standouts Quinn XCII TALES OF hosted inspiring lectures like the #SED- Beach Marina hosted by chef Bill Briand. Guests purchasing tickets to the Pia de' Tolomei and Jai Wolf, country stars Chris Stapleton and Margo Price, and the queen of New Orleans bounce, THE COCKTAIL Talks (Spirits, Education, and Develop- can interact with visiting chefs from across the performance the following evening at a re- Big Freedia. Aside from the extensive music schedule, watch live iron pouring from Sloss Metal Arts ment) and has curated seminars with the Southeast and taste the bounty of Gulf seafood duced price. Program, which specializes in forging cast iron products, imbibe at the craft beer garden featuring local help of its selection committee which in- at the communal-seated dinner. Series partici- thelocalpalate.com/events and national brands, and browse limited-edition hand screen printed concert posters from the American cludes Chris Hannah of Arnaud’s French pants include Ashley Christensen of AC Res- Poster Institute. 75 Bar in New Orleans, Charlotte taurants in Raleigh, North Carolina; Cassidee SLOSS MUSIC AND ARTS slossfest.com Voisey of Scotland-based William Grant Dabney and Roy Milner of Blackberry Farms FESTIVAL & Sons, and Julio Cabrera of Red Shaker in Walland, Tennessee; and Hugh Acheson Birmingham, Alabama NATIONAL CAPITAL BARBECUE BATTLE in Miami, among many others from all of Five and Ten in Athens, Georgia, and Em- July 14-15 Washington, DC over the world. pire State South in Atlanta, Georgia; as well as Birmingham has long been known as the June 23-24 Now under new leadership, the festi- many others. Magic City, but many are unfamiliar with For more than a quarter of a century, the National Capital Barbecue Battle has kicked off the summer val is launching a grant program, which A portion of the dinner series proceeds will the origin of the nickname. After the Civil for Washingtonians. The two-day festival located in the middle of Pennsylvania Avenue features barbe- will give out more than $250,000 to benefit the Fuse Project, a 501c3 organization War and until the early 1900s, Alabama was cue tasting tents, musical performances, beer tastings, and more. The festival’s philanthropy work has benefit projects making a positive differ- that promotes the physical and social well-being known for being one of the largest produc- also helped dozens of area charities in the past; this year will benefit USO Metro and the Capital Area ence in the food and beverage industry. of children along the Alabama Gulf Coast. ers of pig iron in the country, often called Food Bank. talesofthecocktail.org fishersobm.com/southerngrace GOURMET AND GRAPES PROMOTION FESTIVAL FOCUS AUSTIN FOOD + WINE SOUTH WALTON AUSTIN FOOD + WINE FESTIVAL BEACHES WINE & FOOD FESTIVAL Austin, Texas April 27-29 Whether you’re sinking your teeth into world-famous brisket or watching a mas- sive colony of bats depart from under the famous Congress Avenue bridge, Austin, Texas, is the place to be this spring. In a state admired for everything from queso to kolaches, Austin Food + Wine Festival cel- NASHVILLE COCKTAIL FESTIVAL NATIONAL ebrates the city’s own diverse food culture. CORNBREAD FESTIVAL Before the festival officially kicks off, snag a ticket to Feast Under the Stars—a NASHVILLE COCKTAIL FESTIVAL Matchless Coffee Soda Nathaneal Mehrens, down Cornbread Alley, where you’ll sample a five-course seated dinner with wine pair- Nashville, Tennessee and Tiki culture and rum expert Jeff Berry. variety of recipes, like strawberry walnut corn- ings from California’s Jackson Family AUSTIN FOOD + WINE SOUTH WALTON While some of the events are exclusive to bread and chicken bacon ranch fritters, from FESTIVAL BEACHES WINE & FOOD April 25-29 Wines—for a taste of what the weekend beverage industry professionals, the weekend local nonprofits. All proceeds go directly to the In a town with a penchant for brown water, will offer. features three main events for all guests to learn participating organizations. bushwhackers, and craft beer, this festival If you’re an All-In ticket holder, you about the drinks and trends that have shaped Think you have an award-winning corn- brings local bartenders and mixologists togeth- can participate in one of the most unique cocktail culture, from Polynesian Pop: A Tiki bread recipe? Enter the National Cornbread er to celebrate the city’s cocktail culture and events during the weekend: Grillin’ and Extravaganza, a celebration of the South Seas Cook-Off. The winner will receive $5,000, a educate attendees about the intricacies of the Chillin’. You and a partner will hone your with rum-focused and tropical drinks, to the stainless-steel gas range, and a selection of spe- industry. For five years now, the festival (for- skills on the charcoal grill as chef Tim Love Art Deco Party: A Glamorous Sip Through the cial gifts from Martha White and Lodge. Last merly Music City Spirits and Cocktail Festi- of Lonesome Dove Western Bistro in Fort ’20s and ’30s, during which guests will learn year, Hidemi Walsh of Centreville, Virginia, val), has strived to shine a light on Nashville Worth, Texas, walks you through cooking how Prohibition changed mixology in the won the top prize with her chili shrimp and through the creative cocktail community, say your dinner step by step.